Sport And Society In Latin America

Few would argue that sports are not a reflection of the larger society in which they exist: from the grueling ball games of ancient Mesoamerican warrior societies to the conspicuous consumption of land and equipment by country club golfers. What we posit in this NACLA Report is the idea of sports as an insightful social barometer. We attempt to show how inherent social, economic and political forces in the societies of Latin America and the Caribbean are indicative of-sometimes even defined by-the given society's relationship with sports.

March/April
2004
Volume: 
37
Number: 
5

Taking Note

Garry Leech and Teo Ballvé
On the bicentennial of Haiti’s independence, the country once again disintegrated into an orgy of bloodletting. Corruption, abuse of power, partisan goon squads, criminal gangs, an intransigent opposition and finally an armed revolt all contributed significantly to the human tragedy of Haiti.

Intro

NACLA
Few would argue that sports are not a reflection of the larger society in which they exist: from the grueling ball games of ancient Mesoamerican warrior societies to the conspicuous consumption of land and equipment by country club golfers.

Open Forum

Beatrice Edwards
On December 17, 2003, Robert Zoellick, the U.S. Trade Representative, announced that the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua had concluded the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). In January, after initially holding out, Costa Rica also jumped on board.

Updates

Gregory Wilpert
It took Venezuela’s opposition almost five years to figure out the best way to try and remove a president it despises. After three employer-sponsored general strikes, a coup d’état, a shutdown of the country’s oil industry and an unconstitutional petition drive, the opposition is now opting for the only constitutional route for ousting an elected Venezuelan president: a recall referendum.

Report

Arturo J. Marcano & David P. Fidler
In this era of globalization, multinational businesses are increasingly criticized for exploiting cheap sources of labor in developing countries. Corporate techniques that outrage critics include the use of child labor, poor working conditions, the non-existence of labor unions to protect workers’ rights, lack of attention to occupational safety and health, and the flouting of local legal systems.
Paula Pettavino
Any mention of the island of Cuba conjures up images of many things: lush beaches covered with fine white sand lapped by crystal clear blue-green water; signature royal palm trees hundreds of feet high; sweet cigars that appeal to even the most adamant non-smoker; strong, sweet coffee served everywhere in demitasse cups; ubiquitous music; and finely kept old U.S.-made cars—that run! Many of these things were around long before the revolution of 1959 and will certainly remain for years to come.
Pablo Alabarces
When Argentina plunged into a political and economic crisis of unprecedented proportions at the end of 2001, I was finishing my book Fútbol y Patria. The book traced the way soccer had been used as an indispensable tool in the construction of Argentine national narratives in the 20th century.
Elga Castro
The 20th century is often referred to as “the century of nationalism.” During this period, countries projected their national identity through cultural symbols, national heroes and well, sports.
Rogério Daflon and Teo Ballvé
Soccer has become so rooted in Brazil that it’s hard to believe that when the ball first rolled upon the fields of the country only a small elite played the game. By the start of the 20th century, as the English mingled with the upper rungs of Brazilian “high society” in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, they began teaching the basics of the sport to the most aristocratic of Brazilians.
Hilary McD. Beckles
Noted Trinidadian Marxist critic C.L.R. James must have turned in his grave when at a meeting of Caribbean ministers on the state of cricket in the Caribbean, one minister said that the time had come for society to move on, to turn its back on the game, because it had served its purpose.

Reviews

Sarah Garland
Transnationalism is the buzzword used by scholars seeking to explain the identity, culture and social structures of immigrants straddling two societies simultaneously.

Tracking the Economy

Dean Baker and Mark Weisbrot
In trade agreements such as NAFTA, CAFTA or the proposed FTAA, the big prize that the United States offers to its trading partners is greater access to the U.S. import market. In exchange for such access, the United States has demanded a long list of concessions from developing countries, including greater protection for foreign investment, the elimination of rules on government procurement that favor domestic businesses, and increased protection for U.S. patents and copyrights.

In Brief

Sarah Garland
As Guatemalan President Oscar Berger signed an agreement with three other Central American leaders to coordinate regional anti-gang efforts on January 15, gang members in Guatemala City killed and beheaded a man and left the body with a note addressed to the newly elected president.

¡YA! Youth Activism

NACLA
History has proven time and again that leaps and bounds can be achieved when students and workers join forces in the name of social justice and human dignity. But no one has to tell that to the activists of the Student Farm Worker Alliance (SFA), an organization clearly in step with the long-established tradition of student-worker activism.

Article

Eduardo Galeano
The history of soccer is a sad voyage from beauty to duty. When the sport became an industry, the beauty that blossoms from the joy of play got torn out by its very roots.